W.W. Grainger Inc. (GWW): Today's Featured Wholesale Laggard

W.W. Grainger was a leading decliner within the wholesale industry, falling $2.63 (-1.2%) to $210.99 on average volume.

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

W.W. Grainger ( GWW) pushed the Wholesale industry lower today making it today's featured Wholesale laggard. The industry as a whole closed the day down 0.8%. By the end of trading, W.W. Grainger fell $2.63 (-1.2%) to $210.99 on average volume. Throughout the day, 386,279 shares of W.W. Grainger exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 512,300 shares. The stock ranged in price between $210.14-$213.84 after having opened the day at $213.84 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $213.62. Other companies within the Wholesale industry that declined today were: Beacon Roofing Supply ( BECN), down 6.4%, Staar Surgical ( STAA), down 4.8%, Tessco Technologies ( TESS), down 3.7%, and Arrow Electronics ( ARW), down 2.9%.

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W.W. Grainger, Inc. engages in the distribution of maintenance, repair, and operating supplies, as well as other related products and services for businesses and institutions primarily in the United States and Canada. W.W. Grainger has a market cap of $15.02 billion and is part of the services sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 22.1, equal to the average wholesale industry P/E ratio and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 15.1% year to date as of the close of trading on Monday. Currently there are six analysts that rate W.W. Grainger a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and eight rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates W.W. Grainger as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, notable return on equity, expanding profit margins and solid stock price performance. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows weak operating cash flow.